I heard the other day about the death of an old school friend. She died peacefully in her sleep, having been out dancing with friends only hours before.

The news was particularly shocking as she was only in her forties, with so much to look forward to.

Thinking about conversations we'd had, I wondered if she would have worried quite so much about everything had she known her life was going to end so abruptly.

She had expressed a wish to write a book and had had a wonderful imagination and often told many interesting stories.

Being denied the chance to say how much we loved the person we have lost can be a painful part of the grieving.

Whether friends or relatives, it's easy to assume they know how much we love them.

Planning each day believing it to be our last would be counter-productive, but an honest evaluation of our lifestyle definitely is vital in order to make any changes needed.